Wild AHL prospects update

By Courtney Wagner

December 23rd, 2006

Josh Harding

Josh Harding, G

Drafted: Second round, 38thoverall, 2002

Height: 6’1, Weight: 195 lbs.

DOB: 06/18/1984

JoshHarding, a second-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2002, is in histhird season with the Houston Aeros. The netminder, Houston’s all-time winsleader with 61, was in contention to be the backup to Wild starting goaltender MannyFernandez after Minnesota traded Dwayne Roloson to the Edmonton Oilers lastseason. But Harding was sent back down to the Aeros just prior to the start ofthe Wild’s current season.

Lastseason Harding had 29 wins, including two shutouts, a 2.68 goals-against averageand a .922 save percentage in 38 games. Harding’s efforts earned him a spot onthe Canadian team for the AHL all-star game, but he was unable to playdue to a leg injury. In three appearances with the Wild in 2005-06 he had twowins, including his first career NHL shutout, a 2.59 goals-against average and a.904 save percentage. This season for Houston, as the team’s startinggoaltender, Harding has 11 wins, a 2.50 goals-against average and a .919 savepercentage in 28 games. Harding has the potential to be a starting goaltender inthe NHL someday.

Team

GP

W

L

GAA

SV%

SO

Houston

28

11

13

2.50

.919

1

Ryan Stokes, D

Drafted: Undrafted

Height: 6’4, Weight: 200 lbs.

DOB: 06/23/1983

Ryan Stokes signed with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent in 2004. Afterspending one season with the ECHL’s Pensacola Ice Pilots, Stokes moved on to theAeros where he has remained ever since. In 2005-06 Stokes had two goals and fivepoints in 75 games. His 164 penalty minutes were tops on the Aeros. In sixpostseason games he had one assist and 10 penalty minutes. In 23 games thisseason he has one goal and four points, along with 58 penalty minutes, which iscurrently tops on the team. Stokes, a defensive defenseman, is a big, strongplayer who can dish out hits. He is on pace to best his totals from last season.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Houston

23

1

3

4

58

Clayton Stoner, D

Drafted: Third round, 79thoverall, 2004

Height: 6’3, Weight: 205 lbs.

DOB: 02/19/1985

A third-round draft pick in 2004,Clayton Stoner is in his second season withthe Houston Aeros. He had a strong rookie season with six goals and 24 points,third-most for a defenseman on the team, in 73 games. In three playoff gameslast he notched a goal and two points. Stoner is off to a slower start thisseason with the Aeros, in 25 games he has one goal, five points and 48 penaltyminutes. Known for his good hockey sense and strong play at both ends of theice, Stoner is a solid all-around defenseman.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Houston

25

1

4

5

48

Peter Olvecky, LW

Drafted: Third round, 78thoverall, 2004

Height: 6’2, Weight: 200 lbs.

DOB: 10/11/1985

Peter Olvecky, a third-round draft pick of the Wild in 2004, is in his secondseason with the Aeros. In his rookie season he had a solid start with 14 goals,32 points, good for eighth on the team, and 56 penalty minutes in 67 games. Inseven postseason contests in 2005-06 he had a goal and four points. In 28 gamesthis season Olvecky has eight assists and only two goals. He is not afraid tobattle for the puck and works hard to create chances for teammates.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Houston

28

2

8

10

24

Roman Voloshenko, LW

Drafted: Second round, 42ndoverall, 2004

Height: 6’1, Weight: 205 lbs.

DOB: 05/12/1986

Roman Voloshenko, a second-round selection in 2004, made an immediate impact inhis rookie season in the AHL in 2005-06. In 69 games he notched 33 goals,fourth-best on the team and third-best for any rookie in the league, and 60points, fifth-best on the team. In seven playoff games he had one assist. Theleft winger, like many of his teammates, is off to a slower start this season.In 28 games he has three goals, 12 points and a minus-8 rating. Voloshenko hasan offensive upside and has a strong wrist shot. He plays physical and willbattle hard for the puck in the corners. He possesses a strong work ethic andhas the potential to develop into a decent power forward.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Houston

28

3

9

12

8

Danny Irmen, RW

Drafted: Third round, 78thoverall, 2003

Height: 6’0, Weight: 190 lbs.

DOB: 09/06/1984

FormerUniversity of Minnesota player Danny Irmen is in his rookie season with Houston.Drafted by Minnesota in the third round in 2003, Irmen played four games for theAeros in 2005-06 and had two assists. He was scoreless in seven postseasongames. At the University of Minnesota in 2005-06 Irmen, a teammate of the BostonBruins’ Phil Kessel, had 16 goals and his 38 points were good for fourth on theteam. This season Irmen has eight goals, a minus-2 rating and 14 points, whichis good for fifth on the team, in 30 games. Aggressive with good size, Irmen isgood at creating offense and strong with or without the puck.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Houston

30

8

6

14

10

Benoit Pouliot, LW

Drafted: First round, 4thoverall, 2005

Height: 6’3, Weight: 195 lbs.

DOB: 09/29/1986

BenoitPouliot, the fourth overall selection in the 2005 draft, is a rookie with theAeros this season. In 2005-06 Pouliot played in the OHL with the Subury Wolvesand notched a team-high 35 goals, 65 points, good for second on the team, and141 penalty minutes in 51 games. Pouliot joined the Aeros in the playoffs lastseason and was scoreless in two games. This season he has 12 goals, tied for ateam-high, 16 points and a plus-5 rating in 20 games. Pouliot also played threegames with the Wild this season, going scoreless, before being sent backto the Aeros in late November. Pouliot, who has a strong offensive upside, iscreative with the puck and has the potential to be an offensive force at thenext level.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Minnesota

3

0

0

0

0

Houston

20

12

4

16

25

Matt Foy, RW

Drafted: Sixth round, 175thoverall, 2002

Height: 6’2, Weight: 225 lbs.

DOB: 05/18/1983

Matt Foy, a second-year player with the Aeros, was drafted in the sixth round ofthe 2002 draft. Foy split his time in 2005-06 between the Aeros and the Wild. InHouston he had 15 goals, 40 points and 122 penalty minutes in 51 games. In 19games with Minnesota he had two goals, five points and 16 penalty minutes. Ineight postseason games with the Aeros he had five goals, eight points and 29penalty minutes. This season Foy has also seen action with both clubs. Hecurrently leads the Aeros with 24 points in 24 games. He is tied for the teamlead in goals with 12 and has a minus-3 rating. In nine games with the Wild heis scoreless with four penalty minutes. Foy is a physical player with anoffensive upside who should see more time with the Wild as he continues toimprove upon his game.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Minnesota

9

0

0

0

4

Houston

24

12

12

24

40

Shawn Belle, D

Drafted: First round, 30thoverall, 2003

Height: 6’1, Weight: 235 lbs.

DOB: 01/03/1985

Shawn Belle, currently in his second AHL season, was a first-round draft pick in2003. In 2005-06 Belle split his time between the Iowa Stars and the Aeros. Hehad one goal, three points and 63 penalty minutes in 45 games with the Stars andnotched one goal, two points and 18 penalty minutes in 16 games with Houston. Ineight postseason games with the Aeros he had one goal. This season he has splithis time between the Aeros and Wild. In 25 games with Houston he has one goal,10 points and 32 penalty minutes. In four games with the Wild, his first inthe NHL, he has one assist. A strong two-way player, Belle is a good skater andhas a strong shot.

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

Minnesota

4

0

1

1

0

Houston

25

1

9

10

32

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